Adjustable jewelry shank

ABSTRACT

A jewelry shank comprises a ring configured to encircle a wearer&#39;s finger and a moveable tab positioned along the inner surface of the ring. The tab is shiftable between a retracted position that allows the shank to easily slide over a knuckle of the wearer&#39;s finger and an extended position that helps hold the shank in place on the wearer&#39;s finger after it has passed over the knuckle.

BACKGROUND

A jewelry shank is the part of a ring or other piece of jewelry that encircles a wearer's finger. A typical ring therefore includes a shank and a setting that is attached atop the shank.

A jewelry shank must be large enough to fit over the knuckle of the wearer's finger, but not too large or it will slide and/or spin while being worn. Thus, it is important that a shank be properly fitted to its wearer's finger. However, as people age, their fingers sometimes change shape and/or size, making it difficult to wear and remove rings that once fit properly. This is especially true for people whose finger knuckles become enlarged.

Adjustable shanks have been developed to alleviate this problem. However, known adjustable shanks use complicated slide mechanisms that are unattractive, difficult to install, complicated to use, and prone to breakage.

Accordingly, there is a need for an improved adjustable jewelry shank that overcomes the limitations of the prior art.

SUMMARY

The present invention solves the above-described problems and provides a distinct advance in the art of adjustable jewelry shanks.

An embodiment of the present invention is a jewelry shank comprising a ring configured to encircle a wearer's finger and a moveable tab positioned along the inner surface of the ring. The tab is shiftable between a retracted position that allows the shank to easily slide over a knuckle of the wearer's finger and an extended position that helps hold the shank in place on the wearer's finger after it has passed over the knuckle. The jewelry shank may also comprise a biasing member such as a spring coupled with the tab for biasing the tab to its extended position. In another embodiment, the moveable tab and spring are positioned within a frame that is soldered, glued, or otherwise affixed within a recess along the inner surface of the ring.

Another embodiment of the jewelry shank comprises a ring made of gold or other material and a pair of tab assemblies. The inner surface of the ring has a pair of substantially opposed recesses formed therein, and one of the tab assemblies is positioned in each of the recesses. Each tab assembly comprises a frame positioned in its corresponding recess and a tab moveably coupled with the frame. The tabs are each shiftable between a retracted position that allows the shank to easily slide over a knuckle of the wearer's finger and an extended position that helps hold the shank in place on the wearer's finger after it has passed over the knuckle. A biasing member is coupled between each frame and its tab for biasing the tab to its extended position. The recesses may be positioned along upper margins of the inner surface of the ring or elsewhere.

In another embodiment, the inner surface of the ring comprises a third recess positioned along its lower margin. In this embodiment, the jewelry shank further comprises a third tab assembly positioned in the third recess. Other embodiments of the jewelry shank may include any number of tab assemblies positioned anywhere along the inner surface of the ring.

The jewelry shank of the present invention provides numerous advantages over prior art adjustable jewelry shanks. For example, the tab assemblies of the present invention can be quickly and easily retrofitted onto an existing jewelry shank or can be integrally formed into a new jewelry shank during its construction. Moreover, because the tab assemblies are positioned in recesses along the inner surface of the ring portion of the shank, they are virtually undetectable while the jewelry shank is being worn and are more resistant to snagging and/or breaking.

This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described in the detailed description below. This summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter. Other aspects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the embodiments and the accompanying drawing figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the attached drawing figures, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a jewelry shank constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is another perspective view of the jewelry shank from a different angle.

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view in partial section of the jewelry shank of FIG. 1 with a wearer's finger knuckle shown in dashed lines.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the jewelry shank with one of the tab assemblies removed and shown exploded.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged, exploded, partial sectional view of one of the tab assemblies of the jewelry shank.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary partial sectional view of the jewelry shank showing the tab assemblies in their extended positions and showing a wearer's finger knuckle in dashed lines.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary partial sectional view of the jewelry shank showing the tab assemblies in their retracted positions.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a jewelry shank constructed in accordance with another embodiment of the invention and showing its tab assembly in its extended position.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the jewelry shank of FIG. 8 with the tab assembly shown removed and exploded.

FIG. 10 is a front elevational view in partial section of the jewelry shank of FIG. 8 with a wearer's finger knuckle shown in dashed lines.

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary sectional view of the jewelry shank of FIG. 8 showing the tab assembly in its extended position.

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary partial sectional view of the jewelry shank of FIG. 8 showing the tab assembly in its retracted position.

The drawing figures do not limit the present invention to the specific embodiments disclosed and described herein. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following detailed description of embodiments of the invention references the accompanying drawings. The embodiments are intended to describe aspects of the invention in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention. Other embodiments can be utilized and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the claims. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense. The scope of the present invention is defined only by the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.

In this description, references to “one embodiment”, “an embodiment”, or “embodiments” mean that the feature or features being referred to are included in at least one embodiment of the technology. Separate references to “one embodiment”, “an embodiment”, or “embodiments” in this description do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment and are also not mutually exclusive unless so stated and/or except as will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the description. For example, a feature, structure, act, etc. described in one embodiment may also be included in other embodiments, but is not necessarily included. Thus, the present technology can include a variety of combinations and/or integrations of the embodiments described herein.

Turning now to the drawing figures, and particularly FIGS. 1-7, a jewelry shank 10 constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the invention is illustrated. The jewelry shank 10 broadly comprises a ring 12 configured to encircle a wearer's finger and at least one tab assembly 14 that allows a wearer to more easily put the ring on and take the ring off. In one embodiment, the jewelry shank 10 includes two tab assemblies 14, 16 as illustrated; however, any number of tab assemblies may be provided without departing from the scope of the invention. A jewel 18, a setting of multiple jewels, and/or any other ornamental object may be affixed to the top of the jewelry shank to form a complete piece of jewelry as is well known in the art.

The ring 12 may be formed of gold, platinum, or any other suitable material and may be of any size to accommodate the wearer. The ring 12 presents an outer surface 20 that may be of any shape and an inner surface that is preferably at least partially smooth and flat across the thickness of the ring.

As best illustrated in FIG. 4, inner surface 22 of the ring includes at least one groove, slot, or other recess 24 formed therein for receiving a tab assembly. In the illustrated embodiment, the ring includes two such recesses 24, 26 one for each tab assembly. Each recess 24, 26 may be of any size and shape to accommodate any size and shape of tab assembly. The recesses may be carved-out of an existing jewelry shank or may be integrally formed in the shank during its construction. In one embodiment of the jewelry shank, the recesses 24, 26 are formed along an upper margin of the inner surface of the ring.

The tab assemblies 14, 16 may be formed of the same material as the ring or may be formed of other suitable materials. Similarly, the tab assemblies may be of any shape and size.

As best shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, each tab assembly 14, 16 comprises a frame 28, a tab 30, and a biasing element 32. Each frame 28 is positioned in its corresponding recess 24 and includes an arcuate outer wall 34 that matches or approximates the curvature of the ring and an open side 36 for receiving the tab 30. A hook or catch 38 is formed in one end of the frame for coupling with the tab as described below and a ledge 40 is formed in the opposite end.

Each tab 30 includes an arcuate outer wall 42 that engages a wearer's finger, a pair of spaced-apart hooks or fingers 44 that fit over the hook or catch 38 in the frame, and a tab that fits over the ledge 40 in the frame. The tab 30 may thus pivot about the hook or catch 38 and is shiftable between a retracted position that allows the shank to easily slide over a knuckle of the wearer's finger and an extended position that helps hold the shank in place on the wearer's finger after it has passed over the knuckle.

The spring or other biasing member 32 is coupled between each frame and its tab for biasing the tab to its extended position. In one embodiment, an end 48 of the spring 32 fits within a slot or hole formed in the frame 28.

Another embodiment of a jewelry shank 100 is shown in FIGS. 8-12. In this embodiment, the inner surface of the ring has a recess 102 positioned along its lower margin; and a tab assembly 104 is positioned in the recess. The tab assembly 104 comprises a frame 106, a moveable tab 108, and one or more biasing elements 110. The frame 106 is positioned in the recess 102 and includes an arcuate outer wall 112, on open side 114 for receiving the tab 108, and a pair of aligned pin-receiving holes 116 along its side walls.

The tab 108 fits within the open side of the frame 106 and includes an arcuate outer wall 118 that engages a wearer's finger and a pair of aligned pin-receiving slots 120 along its sidewalls. When the tab is received in the frame, a pin 122 may be inserted through the holes 116 and the slots 120 to retain the tab in the frame but permit it to shift between extended and retracted positions.

The biasing elements 110 are sandwiched between the frame 106 and the tab 108 and bias the tab outward to its extended position. Unlike the tab assemblies described above, the tab assembly 104 is not pivotally coupled on one end to the frame, but instead, both of its ends are shiftable between a retracted position and an extended position.

The tab assemblies of both embodiments of the shank 10, 100 described above may be affixed within their corresponding recesses in a variety of ways. For example, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, small gauge wires 124 may be attached to the ends of the frames and then soldered to slots 126 on the inside surface of the ring to hold the tab assemblies in their recesses. In another embodiment, the frames of the tab assemblies may be glued, soldered, or otherwise affixed within the recesses. In yet another embodiment, the tab assemblies may be integrally formed with the ring while it is being constructed.

Use of the jewelry shanks 10, 100 will now be described primarily with reference to FIGS. 6, 7, 11 and 12. A wearer may place the jewelry shank 10, 100 over one of his or her fingers in a conventional manner. As the ring engages the wearer's finger knuckle shown in dashed lines and identified by the letter K, the tabs 30, 108 of the tab assemblies 14, 16, 104 are pushed inward toward their retracted positions. Once the jewelry shank passes over the knuckle, the tabs 30, 108 shift outwardly to their extended positions under the influence of the biasing elements 32, 110. This process is reversed when the wearer removes the jewelry shank from his or her finger. The tab assemblies 14, 16, 108 thus essentially enlarge the effective internal diameter of the jewelry shanks when they contact the wearer's knuckle K and then shrink the effective internal diameter of the shanks after they pass over the wearer's knuckle.

The jewelry shanks of the present invention provide numerous advantages over prior art adjustable jewelry shanks. For example, the tab assemblies of the present invention can be quickly and easily retrofitted onto an existing jewelry shank or can be integrally formed with a new jewelry shank during construction. Moreover, because the tab assemblies are positioned in recesses along the inner surface of the ring portions of the shanks, they are virtually undetectable while the jewelry shanks are being worn and are more resistant to snagging and/or breaking.

Although the invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiment illustrated in the attached drawing figures, it is noted that equivalents may be employed and substitutions made herein without departing from the scope of the invention as recited in the claims. For example, the jewelry shanks of the present invention may include any number of tab assemblies positioned anywhere along their inner surfaces. Moreover, the tab assemblies may be attached to the inner surfaces in any manner. 

1. A jewelry shank comprising: a ring configured to encircle a wearer's finger, the ring having an inner surface that contacts the wearer's finger; and a moveable tab positioned along the inner surface of the ring and shiftable between a retracted position that allows the shank to easily slide over a knuckle of the wearer's finger and an extended position that helps hold the shank in place on the wearer's finger after it has passed over the knuckle.
 2. The jewelry shank of claim 1, further comprising a biasing member coupled with the tab for biasing the tab to the extended position.
 3. The jewelry shank of claim 2, wherein the biasing member is a spring.
 4. The jewelry shank of claim 3, wherein the tab and the spring are positioned within a frame.
 5. The jewelry shank of claim 4, wherein the frame is positioned within a recess formed in the inner surface of the ring.
 6. A jewelry shank comprising: a ring of gold or other material configured to encircle a wearer's finger, the ring having an inner surface that contacts the wearer's finger, the inner surface having a recess formed therein; and a tab assembly comprising: a frame positioned in the recess, a tab moveably coupled with the frame and shiftable between a retracted position that allows the shank to easily slide over a knuckle of the wearer's finger and an extended position that helps hold the shank in place on the wearer's finger after it has passed over the knuckle, and a biasing member coupled between the frame and the tab for biasing the tab to its extended position.
 7. The jewelry shank of claim 6, wherein the biasing member is a spring.
 8. The jewelry shank of claim 6, wherein the inner surface of the ring has a plurality of recesses formed therein and wherein the jewelry shank comprises a plurality of tab assemblies, one positioned in each of the recesses.
 9. The jewelry shank of claim 6, wherein the frame of the tab assembly is soldered, glued, or otherwise affixed within the recess of the ring.
 10. The jewelry shank of claim 6, wherein the frame of the tab assembly is integrally formed with the inner surface of the ring.
 11. A jewelry shank comprising: a ring of gold or other material configured to encircle a wearer's finger, the ring having an inner surface that contacts the wearer's finger, the inner surface having a pair of substantially opposed recesses formed therein; and a pair of tab assemblies, one positioned in each recess, each tab assembly comprising: a frame positioned in its corresponding recess, a tab moveably coupled with the frame, the tab being shiftable between a retracted position that allows the shank to easily slide over a knuckle of the wearer's finger and an extended position that helps hold the shank in place on the wearer's finger after it has passed over the knuckle, and a biasing member coupled between the frame and the tab for biasing the tab to its extended position.
 12. The jewelry shank of claim 11, wherein the pair of recesses are positioned along upper margins of the inner surface of the ring.
 13. The jewelry shank of claim 11, wherein the inner surface of the ring further comprises a third recess positioned along a lower margin of the inner surface of the ring.
 14. The jewelry shank of claim 13, further comprising a third tab assembly positioned in the third recess.
 15. The jewelry shank of claim 11, wherein the frames of the tab assemblies are soldered, glued, or otherwise affixed within the recesses.
 16. The jewelry shank of claim 11, wherein the frames of the tab assemblies are integrally formed within the recesses. 